1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, an image processing method, and an image forming method, and more specifically, to an image processing apparatus, an image forming apparatus, an image processing method, and an image forming method for effecting an appropriate correction depending on an image region of image data based on a result of comparison between a remaining amount of a recording material such as a toner and an amount of the recording material to be consumed required for outputting image data stored in a memory.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, in the field of the image forming apparatus such as a digital copying machine, a variety of techniques have been proposed in order to avoid a situation in which the forming of an image is interrupted due to “toner empty” while an image is being output
For instance, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 9-251231 proposes a technique in which an amount of toner required for outputting a job stored in a memory is calculated by a dot counter or the like, and this amount and a remaining amount of toner within a development device are compared so that an execution of a job is denied when the remaining amount of toner becomes smaller than the amount of toner required for outputting the job.
In addition, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-26874 discloses a technique in which image formation is performed with development biasing that limits an amount of toner to be consumed when a remaining amount of toner is reaches a prescribed value or below.
Furthermore, Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 11-72978 presents a technique in which a image forming condition is changed based on a comparison between an amount of toner required for image output expected from image data stored in a memory and a remaining amount of toner.
The related art techniques described above, however, involve the following disadvantages.
First, with the technique indicated in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 9-251231, a job cannot be executed if the remaining amount of toner is not sufficiently greater than the amount to be consumed required for image output so that lack of toner even for image data of just one image disables outputting of the image data, and toner supply needs to be replenished.
Moreover, with the technique described in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 10-26874, when the remaining amount of toner reaches a prescribed value or below, development biasing of low consumption is inappropriately applied even when the remaining amount of toner is sufficient for outputting of an image within the memory.
Furthermore, with the technique described in Japanese Patent Laying-Open No. 11-72978, image forming conditions are switched uniformly based only on a comparison between the amount of toner to be consumed and the remaining amount of toner so that, even though a relatively good output of a character image is produced, drastic image degradation could possibly be caused in a region requiring texture as in a photograph image.